Despite the introduction of radical plans to improve the service since it returned to public management, such as the so-called “shock plan”, and the reorganisation of the emergency room, the situation at Torrevieja Hospital does not seem to be improving, or at least that is the opinion of those working on the ground, and those hoping to receive care.
According to the unions representing workers at the hospital, who directly contradict the message being sent out by the regional health authority who claim the situation has improved, on Monday, an example given, there were 34 patients occupying the observation beds, all treatment boxes were occupied, and there was an overflow of other patients on stretchers in the corridors, some of whom had been waiting for more than 80 hours for admission. In addition, another 60 patients remained in the waiting room to be seen, more than 15 hours late.
On Tuesday, the situation was not much better, with 31 patients in the observation room, some having waited just as long for admission, in the boxes there were more than 12 patients with up to 20 without admission and 82 patients in the waiting room waiting to be seen. With waits of up to 21 hours.
Once again, the situation is “unsustainable” according to the unions after two other emergency doctors have resigned in recent weeks. In the shifts of a tourist town of the size of Torrevieja, the Emergency shifts barely have four or five doctors, much less than in the previous stage of public-private management of Ribera Salud.
In this context, the unions say that the management continues to ignore the claims of the health workers who work in the hospital and of the patients alleging that a rapid consultation has been launched in the service and a traumatologist has been referred to the Emergency Room. The unions assure that neither of the two measures are permanent.
Since the Ministry of Health took over the Department of Health on October 15, attendance has been getting worse month by month. And as expected, the arrival of tourists and residents in the summer has ended up destroying all the statistics.
In fact, a few months ago a doctor denounced on social networks that a patient had died in the hospital waiting to be seen and there were all kinds of pulses with the direction of the service and that the new Minister of Health, Miguel Mínguez, fully enter in the matter.
Last Thursday, the Management met with the mayors of the affected municipalities, assuring them that all measures were being taken, extending hours and specialties. At the same time, the population is being asked not to go to the hospital unless the situation is serious, but to go first to the health centres, although these too are under pressure at times, with the centre at Pilar de la Horadada closing down on Friday afternoon, with no real explanation given, other than it being a situation out of the control of the health department.
